With the increasing integration of special ED students in schools, teacher training is constantly developing

This means that general education teachers are more likely than ever to work with students with special needs. However, according to the NPR report, 10 universities in the country have special education requirements for future teachers.

When it comes to basic teacher preparation courses (designed to prepare students for state teaching certification), six of the institutions require students to be educated to take only one specialized special education course. The remaining four require multiple courses.

But the path for teachers to prepare for degrees is developing. Some institutions that require only one course, including Texas A&M University and the University of Central Florida, told NPR that they have greatly added the rest of the courses to inject practices designed to appeal to each learner, not just typical learners.

A new degree is also becoming increasingly common: a dual-licensing or “unified” degree program aims to enable students to obtain both general education and special education certification. These programs sprout around the country, including Texas A&M, Wichita State University, Ohio State University and the University of Northern Iowa.

Lessons from special education happen not only in special education classes

Over the past seven years, the University of Florida Central University’s faculty preparation program has been gradually transforming. Mary Little is a professor and program coordinator at UCF. She said the school focused on learning from experience, so she taught special education courses with classroom internships.

“We are very [clearly] Collaborate in an inclusive environment to connect theory and practice. ” Little said.

When trained teachers encounter problems in the internship classroom, they can have a live workshop with expert teachers. According to Little, challenges include identifying appropriate learning accommodation for students with disabilities and using a personalized education program (IEP), a legal document outlining the services and accommodations each student is entitled to.

Little said the school also intends to inject inclusive practices into its entire teacher preparation program. This includes emphasizing a teaching practice called universal learning or UDL. It prioritizes flexible teaching methods to meet the needs of students who may learn in multiple ways.

For example, in the basic addition courses for the first grade, teachers can use pictures, tactile projects and virtual tools to describe mathematical problems not only in language, but also obviously and visually.

“In the past, it might have been possible to come up with numbers, let students look at these simple numbers, or give students a worksheet and have them figure out boxes or something from the box,” said Andrea Borowczak, director of the UCF’s faculty education school. “You try to visit for all students.”

This also means not waiting for the child to be identified as disabled before providing accommodation or professional guidance.

“It really helps all of us [teacher prep] Students need to carefully prepare course presentations and assessments, as well as demonstrate learning methods through a variety of ways so that more students can access, master and demonstrate course and content knowledge. ”

Little and Borowczak said their schools are also working on new dual licensing programs in early childhood and special education.

Currently, at least 4 of the 10 largest universities in the United States offer dual license or “unified” degree programs to enable teachers to work in general education and special education classrooms.

“All students are general education students”

Jennifer Kurth chairs the University of Kansas or KU’s special education department, which recently debuted Unified Degree For prospective teachers who wish to serve in general or special education classrooms. It requires eight more special education courses than the school’s traditional teaching degree.

There is only one capture: For students with disabilities, they can benefit from similar dual degree programs, and people must choose to participate in traditional education programs.

This will require the paradigm to shift to the idea that “all students are general education students”, Kuss said.

“If you leave a unified course, know how to teach all students, you know how to personalize guidance; you know how to work with people across disciplines; you know how to understand students, IEPs and understand general education courses,” Coors said. “You’re going to be a more confident and competent teacher.”

Coors said it was too early to say whether the department would switch to a unified education program. But this is possible.

“Honestly, I can see in the near future that we only have a unified program because I think it’s really welcome,” Coos said. “We might be a little cautious when trying to make too many big changes at once.”

KU Assistant Professor Lisa Didion is not shy about promoting the school’s new unified degree program.

Last fall, in special education courses in all KU education majors, she told students that by joining the unified program, they will learn more strategies to attract all learners.

“That’s what really makes a difference, is if we have general educators who are trained like special educators, then we’re going to really start moving [needle],” Didion said.

Benjamin Erickson, a junior in basic education, said he is considering switching to a unified plan. He said that as a person with disabilities, it is important for him to be part of a “better system.”